Brethren of the Coast
"No code but our own." The Brethren of the Coast was a notorious Chapter of pirates that formed among English and French nationals who turned to piracy in the seventeenth century. This is known popularly as the classical age of piracy or Age of Sail and the Chapter was the hallmark of that period. Status: Active. Facts: -The BotC looks to the Order of Corsairs for its founding and the Chapter has always been highly favored by the Order. -The BotC went down in history as vile pirates, practicing everything from torture to devil worship. But the truth is that many within the BotC were religious (oaths sworn to the Brotherhood had to be sworn on a Bible). The famous pirate Black Bart called for observance of the Sabbath for all men serving on his ship? -The Chapter is based along teams, since the Chapter is composed of searfarers each team is a 'ship crew.' The Crew has a charter which states the rights and duties of every member. Positions within the Crew are to be voted upon and major decisions require near-unanimous consent from the members of the Brotherhood present. -The BotC practiced an early form of democracy largely alien to western civilization since the days of the ancient Greeks. -The Chapter was born on the seas of the world, and there they remain. Rare is a member of the Brethren who spends much time on terra firma. The open sea calls to them and with it the wild, open life of a pirate. -Don't expect members of the Chapter to fight fair - dirty fighting and trickery are all on the table as far as the Brethren are concerned. Whatever it takes to win the day and get the booty. -Historically pirates are known for three things; sailing, raiding and drinking (not necessarily in that order). -Sailors have always been known for being superstitious, and the Brethren of the Coast are no exception. Even modern day members of the Chapter often subscribe to ideas of charm, luck and blessing which more modern people find silly. -Sea Shanty: Most sailors were avid singers who passed the weeks and months away by singing popular songs while at work. -The story of forcing victims to walk the plank appears to be pure fiction, there are no credible historical accounts of actual pirates making anyone walk the plank. -The Kraken, the dreaded giant Octopus that prowls the ocean's depths, is the long-time rival of the Chapter. Countless Adept sailors and Kraken have killed each other in intense sea-going struggles as the monsters attempted to pull ships down into the depths. -While it's true pirates weren't the satan-worshipers they have so often been portrayed as, it doesn't change the fact that pirate culture was inherently mercenary. Truly, those who fell behind were left behind... -Parrots are a favored pet among the Chapter, as much for the traditional aesthetics as for their helpfulness in passing long nights alone at sea. -The Orders Corsair, Anarch, Seeker, Barbarian and Traveler are often the most frequently found within the Brotherhood. From The Sea: Pirates are citizens of no nation, living their lives on and off of the sea itself. It's been said that, if you were to ask a pirate where he came from, he would simply answer that he came from the sea. The Brethren of the Coast know much about the world's oceans, the mysteries and dangers found deep under the waves. If you're going to include the Brethren in a story, you should make sure to play up this part of their character. The Brethren are heirs to a legacy of ocean sailing and they know many of the secrets of the briny deep. Note: Witches and other Magick users weren't uncommon in the Brethren. Pirates are pragmatists and care little for the social taboos of popular society. This means they were perfectly willing to take in people who practiced all kinds of Magick. The stereotypical 'sea witch' would, therefore, be a common fixture within the Chapter even in modern times. Cutthroat & Hyper-violent: Pirate life was hard. If you weren't being chased by authorities, risking your neck for plunder, or fending off thieves, you were probably struggling to get by on improvised food and medicine. While the Brethren were founded on the principles of democracy and brotherhood, they still acknowledge the inherent roughness of pirate life and the struggle for survival. Pirates are survivalists and will whatever they have to for survival's sake. They aren't above lying, cheating, stealing or killing those who stand in their way. Of course, for some pirates, carnage was the desired outcome. One of the quickest routes to fame was to be legendary for the amount of blood spilt in your raids. Modern Day Pirates: Pirate Code: The Pirates of the Carribean movie franchise popularized the idea of the Pirate's Code, but that bit of the franchise was actually quite accurate. The Brethren of the Coast kept contracts for every man and ship crew serving in the Chapter. Members had rights and privileges and responsibilities according to the captain and the code. Some of the more central tenets to most pirates codes (each ship had their own variation usually) were... 1.) Each member shall receive a portion of goods stolen, particularly food and liquor. 2.) Punishment for betraying one's crew or the Chapter shall be marooning. 3.) Infighting among members was to be settled by dueling or contest, the nature of which was to be ratified by the captain. 4.) No drinking, gambling or staying up past curfew (yes, pirate ships actually had this rule) except when given leave by the captain. 5.) Most ship charters or agreements included a retirement clause - after serving so much time, any member could announce their intention to retire and be given an appropriate share of the present spoils and dropped off at a port of their choosing. Thirst For Booty: Stories of Buried Treasure left by pirates, especially the more famous and prominent ones, also have much basis in history. Captain Kidd, Blackbeard, El Bussa, and many other pirates have openly boasted of hiding vast amounts of gold, silver, precious jewels and probably not a few items of power (Holy Relics, Dark Objects). Of course, there are also stories of cursed treasure as well, treasure cursed by evil spirits, Pagan Gods, or God Himself... Pirate Bays: A Pirate Bay, Pirate Cove or Pirate Haven are secluded, out-of-the-way places around the world where pirates can congregate together and enjoy their plunder far from the arm of the law. Pirate Bays are not places for the faint of heart, violence and bickering are common (as much for sport as anything). Pirate Bays are also, by definition, black markets where all sorts of ill-gotten goods can be bought and sold. And where booze and wenches can be found in plentiful numbers. Pirates are opportunists, so they prefer to live as squatters in the ruins or rundown buildings left behind by others. Or they might just seize a desirable location from the current tenants. Either option is preferable in the minds of most pirates instead of having to go to the trouble of building a place for themselves. In terms of security, expect a Pirate Bay to be heavily guarded. Not only will there be a few individuals charged with security at any given time, don't forget that every pirate in there will be armed to the teeth! Even if someone attacking a Bay manages to break through all defenses, most sensible pirates will have fallback plans. Escape routes and backdoor tunnels will ensure that those pirates present will be able to do what all pirates have been good at - vanishing quickly before they can be caught. References: -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brethren_of_the_Coast -https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pyrate-port -http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3387444/ -http://pirates.disney.com/ -http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Pirate -http://piratenationmagazine.com/ -http://www.pyratesway.com/ Category:Brethren Of The Coast Category:Chapter Category:Chaos